Fuse for explosive projectiles.



No. 678,367. Patented luly I6, I90I. M. A. LYNCH & H. WILSON.

FUSE FR EXPLSIVPROJECTILES.

(Application led Aug. 16, 190.0.)

AQ. f

UNITED STATES ATENT --`union.-

MICHAEL A. LYNCH AND HARRY WILSON, F WASHINGTO, DISTRIULI un COLUMBIA.

Fuse Foa ExPLoslvE PizoJEcTlLEs.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,367, dated July 16, 1901.

l Application filed August 16. 1900. Serial No; 27,105. (No model.) l

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, MICHAEL A. LYNCH and HARRY WILSON, citizens of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented newand useful lmprovementsin Fuses for Explosive Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in to percussion-fuses for the bases or points of explosive projectiles; and it has for one of its objects to provide a fuse embodyingaprimer, a'iiring-hammer, and a guard, which latter is normally interposed between the primer x5 and the hammer, so as to protect the former from the latter, and is calculated when the projectile is fired from a gun to be moved by its inertia and the axial rotation of the prol jectile to uncover and expose the primer to 2o the act-ion of the hammer. A guard such as defined permits of the projectile being handled and transported with safety, and this notwithstanding but a very light shearingpin may be employed to normally hold the z5 hammer away from the primer with a View of insuring the release of the hammer when the projectile is fired, for it will be seen that in case the projectile is dropped or accidentally strikes against an object with suiiicient 3o force to shear the pin the guard over the primer or percussion-cap will eifectually prevent t-he hammer from striking the primer and exploding the projectile. lVhile this is so, it will be appreciated that the guard is subject to sure mvement by its inertia and the centrifugal action of the projectile incident to the iiring thereof, and hence does not detract f'nm the reliability-that is, the exploding qualities-of the projectile in action. 4o Another object of the invention is to provide in a` fuse a firing-hammer which oper' aies by Virtue of itsinertiaat the time of iire to disconnect itself from the' fuse-stock and one which, while effectually held against ctlr hal rotary and rectilinear movement orcree'pll;

ing in the stock subsequent to its disconneof' tion therefrom and incident to the flight of?.

an explosive projectile, so as to avoid prema; tu re explosion thereof, may be depended upon 5o to ignite the primer when the projectile isf" arrested either by striking au object head on or in a slanting manner. By virtue of the firing-hammer being securely held against casual movement or creeping with respect to the fuse-stock subsequent to its disconnection therefrom, as stated, it will bebbserv'ed thatv in the event of the projectile being dropped or struck against an object with sufdcient force to release the hammer from the stock said hammer Will remain in the position it assumes after being thus released. From this it follows that the hammer-*contributes very materially to the safety with which the projectile may be handled and'K transported and that it renders the projectile perfectly safe, even when the guard over the primer is omitted from the fuse.

Another object is to provide in a fuse a iringhammer which depends for reliability in action both upon its Weight and the tension of a spring which it embodies, and either, for if one should bind or otherwise fail the other Will impel the firing-plunger of the hammer against the primer With suilicient force to ignite the latter.

Other advantageous features of the inven` tion will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal diametrical section illustrating a base-fuse embodying `our invention, the parts of said fuse being shown in the positions they occupy before the projectile to which the fuse is" applied is fired.

Fig..2 is a similar View illustrating the movable parts in the positions they assume when the Vprojectile is fired. Fig. 3 is a similar View illustrative of the positions the movable parts ass'ume when the projectile strikes an object either head on or in a slanting man` ner.v Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section taken in the plane indicated bythe broken Cline 4 4 of Fig. l looking in the direction indicated by arrow. Fig. 5 is a detail perspectilve view of the guard.v Fig. 6 is-'a similar view lof the tiring-plunger of the hamm'er.- l3`ig-k7 `ris a perspective View of thebody or `casing I'ofthe hammer. Fig. 8 is a similari view ot one of the scar-pins. Fig. 9 is a .de-

ltail section illustrating our improved fuse ag, embodying the well-known' ga'lspsharing-.syei' s evase? the pins and the wall of the bore c, and the hammeris securely held against casual movement in the stock, as stated. The holding of the hammer C against casual movement subsequent toits disconnection from the stock is highly advantageous, since it precludes premature explosion of a projectile during the flight thereof. It is also advantageous because it elfectually prevents ignition of the primer in the event of the projectile being dropped or accidentally struck against an ob ject with sufficient force to shear the pin E, and hence contributes materially to the safety with which the projectile may be handled and transported. Nhen the projectile strikes an object either at right angles or in a slanting manner, the arrest of the projectile will cause the hammer to forcibly move forward. lnci dent to such forwardmovement of the hammer and as soon as the Sear-pins s pass out of Y the bore c and into the counterbore CZ the tension ,of the spring t, acting against and pressing the firingfplungerp forwardly, will force said scar-pins outwardly, with the result that the firing-plunger p will be released -from the shearing-plunger l and forcibly impelled by the spring t against the primer. The spring t is thus enabled to impel the plunger p forwardly, for it will be seen that the radial outward movement of the scar-pins serves, in addition to releasing the firing-plunger!) from the body or casing l, to hold said body or casing against retrograde movement.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that when the projectile is arrested both the Weight of the hammer as a whole and the spring t will tend to forcibly impel the point q of the plunger p against the primer, and it will also be appreciated that if the spring binds or otherwise fails to act the weight of the hammer as awhcle will be sufficient to ignite the primer, while if the ,body or casing binds after it has moved sufliciently far to carry the scar-pins out of the bore c and into the counterbore d the spring t will impel the Vplunger p forwardly with sulicient force to.

. der to accomplish the purposes'for which the -made in the practice of the invention as fairly fall within the scope of our claims. Ve further desire it understood that while shown as a base-fuse our improved fuse, with modifications whichareohvrouswand need not be mentioned, is susceptible of being used to ad vantage as a point-fuse.

The construction shown in Fig. i) is similar to that shown in Figs. l to 4, with 4the exception that the shearing-pin is joined to-and extends rearwardly from the body of the hammer, so as to be severed by the well-known gas shearing system, which is unnecessary to describe herein. y

Vhen desirable, the circum fercntial groove of the firing-plunger may be of circular form in cross-section, in which event scar devices in the form of balls will be employed in lieu of the pins s, as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

In the construction shown in Fig.v 11 the forward end of the firing-plungerp/ is made conical in order to perform the function ascribed to the groove 11 in Figs. l to 3 and also to operate after the manner of a cam to push the guard D to one side .in the event of .the

centrifugal actionof the projectile failing to move the guard laterally sufliciently far to `.enable the firing-plunger to strike the primer.

It will be seen that after .the guard l) is thrown by its inertia back and out of engage* ment with the 'primer-holder, if the centrifugal action of the projectile moves the guard ICO claim, and desire to secure by Lett-ers Patent,

1S.- i A 1.In a fuse for explosive proj ectiles,a stock, a primer, a hammer in the stock, and means for normally holding the hammer against movement in the stock; said hammer having springactuated means engaging the vstock and adapted to' permit the hammer to be driven rearwardly in t-he stock by its inertia when the gun is fired and the hammer is released from the means for holdingit against movement in the stock, and also adapted :to hold the hammer against casual movement toward the primer, subsequent toits said rear-- Ward movement.

2. In a fuse `for explosive projectiles, a primer, a holder therefor, having a recess,

,and a bendable primer-guard pivotally connected to the primer-holder so as to adapt it to swing laterally, and having a portion normally engaging l the recess of the'primerholder and adapted to be disengaged therefrom by the bending ofk the guard when the projectile is red from a gun'.

3. In a fuse for explosive projectiles, a primer, aholder therefor having a recess, means for igniting the primer, anda bendable primer-guard pivotally connected to the IIO primer-holder whereby itis adapted to swing bending of the guard when the fired from a gun. y

'4. In afuse for explosive projectiles,astock, a primer, a hammer arranged in thesto'ck and havinga firing-plunger anda spring tending to move said plunger toward the primer, and means cooperating with said plunger and the stock for holding the hammer against creeping in the stock. v

5. In a fuse for explosive projectiles, the combination of a stock, a primer, and an ignitingLhammer for the primer arranged and adapted to move in the stock, and comprising 'a body, a spring-backed firing-plunger car,- ried thereby, and means operated by the pressure of the spring 'against the firing-plunger Wherebysaid ringpinngcr is normally held against movement with respect to the body. 6. In a fuse for explosive projecliles,a stock, zo a primer-igniting 'hammery arranged `in the stock, and comprisingr a body, a springbacked ring-plnnger carried thereby, and means cooperating with the iiring-plnnger and stock for holding the body against creeping in the stock, and the firing-plunger against casual movement with respect to the body.

'7. In a fuse for explosive projectiles, a stock,

projectile is having a bore, and a hammer arrangedin the.v

stock and ha vingaspring-backed firing-plum 3o ger, and means operated by said firing-plunger and normally engaging the walls of the bore in the stock for normally holding the firing-plunger against movement with respect to the body, and for normally holding the hammer asa whole against casual movement with respect to the stock.

S. In at'nse forexplosive projectiles, a stock, a hammer therein comprising a body, anda spring-actuated liringplunger carried there- 4o by, and means operated by the firing-plu nger and engaging the stock for normally holding the iiring-plunger against movement with re` spcct to the body, and means for permitting the release of the tiring-plunger from the body incident to movement'of the hammer.

9. ln a fuse forexplosive projectiles, a stock, a hammer comprising a body and a springactuated liring-plunger carried thereby, and means on ,the hammer engaging the stock, 5o whereby the firing-plunger is -hcld against inox-*ement with respect to the body, and the hammer is held against creeping forward in the stock, and means in the stock whereby the firing-plunger is released from the body incident to movement of the hammer, substantially as specified.

l0. In a .fuse for explosive projectiles, a stock, a hammer comprising a body and a spring-actuated firing-plunger carried there- 6o by, means detachablyconnecting the hammer tothe stock, and means on the hammer inengagemcnt with the stock for normally holding the hammer against casual creeping forward in the stock, and the liringplunger against movement with respect to the body eraser? and means in the stock whereby the firing'-` plunger is released from the body incident to y movement of the hammer. n

11. In a fuse Afor explosive projectilea'a stock,a hammer comprising a body or casing and a spring-actuated ringplunger carried thereby, a shearing-pin engaging the bod'yor casing and the stock, and means on the ham.-

holding the hammer against casual creeping 12.- In a fuse for explosive projectiles, a stock having a bore and a-,counterboreganignliter hammer comprising a body corre-Y 'spending in diameter to the bore of thestock 'and having a recess in one end and radialapcrt-ares communicating with said recess, a spring-backed firing-plunger-arranged inthe recess of the b'ody, and having-al bevcledportion, and scar devices arrangedin the apela. tures of the body, and normally engaging the walls of thebore in the stock, andhavinginner beveled vends normally heldin engagement with the beveled portion of the iiring-v plnngerby the said Walls of the bore. of the stock.

13. In a fuse lor. egiplosive-projectiles,a

1 -mer cooperating with the stock-for normally.

v forward,and the firing-plunger against move#v stock having a bore-and aplay-space for a` seardevice in ad\fa'-n^c'e' ofthe same, an igniter-liammer comprising a body arranged in the bore of the stock, a springactnated liring-plunger carried by the body and having a bevel, and a sear device carried by the body and normally engaging the walls oi' the bore and havingl a Ybevel normally engaging that ol' the firing-plunger whereby the hammer is held against creeping, and casual releascfof the plunger from the body is prevented.

ll. ln a fuse lor explosive projectiles, the combination of a stoel; having a play-space for ascardcvice, an'dan igniting-hammer comprising a body, a spring-pressed iiringplunger carried thereby, and a seardevice carried by the body, and interposed between and normally engagingthe firingplnngcr and the stock, to hold the' hammer against creeping and the liring7plnnger against casual release. y t

l5. In a fuse for explosive projectiles, vthe combination of a stock having a play-space for a scar device, a wall therein having a recess in one side, a primer arranged in, said recess, a bendable primer-guard pivotally.

connected to the walliand having a portion normally resting in the recessv thereof, an igniterhammer comprising aybody, .and a spring-pressed ring-plunger carried there by, means for normally holding the hammer against creeping in the stock, and meansop'f eraled by the liring-plnnger and engaging IIO IZO

theostocl: for holding the, hammer against creeping and the plunger against casual re-I lease from the body,snbstan tially as specified.

16. In a fuse for explosive projectiles, a stock having a bore and a play-space for a seanpin in advance of the saine, a hammer oomprisino a body arranged .in he bore of ihe sock, a Spring-actuated {hing-plunger carried by the body and having` a circumferential groove of angular forni in creas-sec- Lion, and a Sear-pin carried by Lhe body and norxnallyengagi-nfY thowvalls of the bore in the stock and having a conical portion normally seated in the grooveof the iring-plnn ger, substantially as specilied.

l17.' 1n a fuso for explosive projectiles, a stock having a bore and a play-space for a Sear-pin in advance of the 4same, a hammer .comprising a body arranged in the bore of the stock, a s'piingactnated firing-plunger carried by the body and having a conical forward end, and a Sear-pin carried by the bod y and normally engaging the walls of the bore in the stock and having a siirface conforming to and normally engaging the conical end of 25 the llring-plunger. y l

18. In a fuse for explosive projeclilos, a

stock having a bore and a counlerbore in ail- Vance of the saine, a prirner-igniting hainrner comprising a body arranged in The bore 3o `of ALhe stock, a springpressefl liring-plnnger oarrieil by the boi'ly,a Sear device carriecl by the body and normally engaging Lhe wallof the bore in the stock, and coaching,` means on the fir,. sf-plnngcr and the Sear-device wher 35 by the latter is pressed against the Wall of the bore by the spring behind the Iiring-plnngel.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing. wit- ;Eoaon C. Mmes, J. C. MCMENAMIN. 

